


Five Times Chase Brody Helped Someone, And The One Time They Helped Him

by Snarkyowl



Category: jacksepticeye egos - Fandom, septicegos - Fandom
Genre: Suicide Attempt, blood mention, nothing graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 12:19:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11874261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snarkyowl/pseuds/Snarkyowl
Summary: Five times Chase helps someone out, and the one time they all repay the favor.





	1. A Broken Magician's Mask

A well known fact among the Jacksepticegos was that Marvin’s magic rarely went as he planned for it to go. Small tricks he could do well, but it was the times he got ambitious that things would go wrong.

Chase was heading to the kitchen when he heard the familiar sound of Marvin crying. The magician tended to be a bit emotional, especially when something went wrong. Worried, Chase picked up his pace and stepped into the kitchen.

There he found Marvin, dressed in his show outfit, mask set on the counter. In pieces. Blinking in shock, Chase moved over to the other ego. Gentle hand on Marvin’s back, Chase leaned over to look at the broken cat mask.

“Marvin, little dude, what happened?” Chase asked gently, and Marvin whined.

“I was trying to do a cool trick, and then it just broke!” He cried, and Chase huffed.

“Hey now, don’t be upset. Where’s the super glue? Chase has the hands of gods, he’s gonna fix this for you.” Chase murmured, hugging Marvin tightly before sending him off to get the superglue.

Chase spent hours hunched over a lap desk, intently focused on piecing back together a mask. One he could easily go buy a near-replica of, but that wouldn’t be the same thing. Chase knew well that it was always easy to tell when something wasn’t the original.

He worked long into the night, but eventually the mask was whole again. After giving it more than enough time to dry, Chase smiled sleepily down at his work. You could hardly even tell it had been broken!

Stretching out lazily, Chase glanced over to the clock to check the time. Two o’clock in the morning?  
“Rad.” He murmured, standing slowly from his chair.  
“I can play Santa Claus.” He snorted, rubbing his face before heading off to Marvin’s room.

The door barely even creaked as Chase slipped into the room, socked feet only making quiet sounds as he padded over to Marvin’s bedside table.

He set the mask down gingerly, then turned to Marvin. Tucked only under his cape, the magician was shivering lightly in the chill of the room. With a frown, Chase fumbled around for a blanket. Limited light made his job difficult, but finally he found a discarded comforter.

Gently tucking it over Marvin, Chase chuckled softly as the magician mumbled in his sleep. Nonsense, mostly, but Chase knew he was probably showing off to a dream audience.

With his magic-prone son tucked in, Chase turned back to the doorway. Creeping out as he’d crept in, the door clicked shut gently behind him. Letting out a long breath of relief at succeeding in his mission, Chase headed off to finish his nightly rounds of checking on the other egos.

When, in the morning, Marvin woke up to find his mask returned and repaired he shrieked in joy. He hunted down Chase, who had woken up by then to make sure everyone got a healthy breakfast, and tackled him into a hug. Chase laughed, exuberant but gentle and returned the gesture with excitement.

“Mask look okay to you, magic dude?”  
“Yeah! It looks incredible! Thanks so much!”  
“Of course, Marv. Now go eat breakfast so you can be ready for that show tonight!”  
“Oh, right! Thanks again!”  
With that, the magician was bouncing off to eat his breakfast. Chase smiled fondly into his coffee mug, turning to finish the dishes.

Magician’s mask? Repaired and back in its rightful place.


	2. A Grounded Hero

Jackieboy-man was a good hero, a well known one nowadays. Every well known hero gets hurt, and the Septicego was no exception.

His leg was snapped, ribs fractured at least, body covered in cuts and bruises. His pain had yet to really kick in, though, as he pulled himself to his feet. Desperate to beat this enemy, he continued to fight until there wasn’t any fight left in his body.

By the time Jackieboy hit the ground in exhaustion, the creature he’d been fighting against had collapsed. Breathing harshly against the pain, he tilted his head back onto the building wall behind him.

Silver Shepherd appeared from where he’d been fighting as well, limping over to sit with his friend. They both quietly provided support for the other through the pain they were both no doubt in.

When Schneeplestein and Chase appeared, the two heroes smiled sheepishly as they were scolded for their idiocy. Chase was furious, but Jackie knew this was nothing compared to what he could be. He was upset and he was worried, not mad.

Silver was sent home with Bim, who showed up to take the hero home. Schneep informed his companions he still had work to do in the clinic, and sent them off towards home.

Jackie wasn’t sure how or when, but soon he was tucked into bed with his leg gently propped up. Chase appeared at regular intervals to check in on him, and each time he took care of something new. Fluffing a pillow to making soup, every visit was something different and every time he handled it with ease.

Jackie hated being stuck and babied. That’s not to say he was ungrateful at all because he really wasn’t. If there was one thing the Septicegos all had in common, it would be the fact they all enjoyed having Chase mother them.

Jackie hated, more than anything, to be cooped up all day long. To be coddled. He felt helpless, and he felt needy. Chase, without even being told what was on the hero’s mind, seemed to know. He provided gentle reassurance that Jackie could perfectly well do half of what he was doing, he just wasn’t going to let him.

“Call me mean, but I don’t want you doing anything you don’t have to.” He said it with a grin, but Jackie got the message.

While he was being told he could do these things, any attempt to do it himself would result in a gentle scolding from Dad Chase. The thought made Jackieboy grin because wasn’t that a funny thought? Powerful superhero Jackieboy-man put in place by “trick shot expert” Chase Brody. He could see it as a headline now.

That made him start giggling despite his complaining ribs, and when Chase came in he only laughed harder. Chase laughed along despite not knowing why because laughter was infectious to him no matter who it was.

When Jackie finally settled down, he caught his breath and grinned at Chase. His eyes were wide and warm, and Chase smiled back affectionately.

“You’re totally gonna act as my dad.”  
“I’m what, hero dude?”  
“My dad, next public appearance. I’ll get you a mask and a hero outfit and everything.”  
“You want me to play your dad?”

“Yes! You might as well, you basically are.”

Chase snorted, shaking his head and smiling fondly at the superhero ego.

“Whatever you say, hero dude. Why don’t you get some rest, it’s late.” Chase hummed, helping Jackieboy settle down in bed.

“Will you?” The hero asked drowsily.

“Will I…?”  
“Be my dad?”

Chase paused, blinking slowly in the dim light. Then he gave a sad, but gentle, smile.

“Hero dude, I already am your dad. I’ll be there, don’t worry. Now go to sleep.” Chase murmured, ruffling Jackie’s hair.

The hero hummed some kind of goodnight, and Chase returned it with a small grin. Clicking off the lights, Chase let the door shut gently behind him. He worried for Jackieboy, but at least he knew they had Schneeplestein who could always stitch them back together when they fell apart.

Breathing out a tired sigh, Chase pushed off from the door and headed off down the hall. Another night gone by.


	3. A Doctor's Loss

Doctor Schneeplestein may not have had all of the necessary documents to prove himself a legitimate doctor, but if you knew the doctor you knew he was good at what he did. Maybe he wasn’t the most conventional doctor, he wasn’t someone you went to for average answers and procedures. No, you went to Schneeple for quick results and a boisterous personality.

Like every doctor, Schneeplestein has had those patients that you just can’t save. No matter what methods you try, no matter what you do, they still die. It still isn’t enough.

A commonality between Edward Iplier and Henrik von Schneeplestein is that neither of them handle the death of a patient well, no matter what circumstances surrounded the patient. They always feel the blame falls back to them as the doctor, and maybe it does. Still, losing a patient is never easy.

This time is no different.

The patient had cancer, and so many of the ones he’s lost have. Cancer that couldn’t be beaten, and the frustration he felt was incredible. The patient died in their sleep, painless and peaceful. That didn’t make it any easier on the doctor.

He buried himself in his work, and when he wasn’t working himself to death he was drinking himself to death. Everything had been going so well, and then suddenly it was like nothing could be done to save them. A shoe dropped, and Schneeple paid the price. So did the family, of course, but Schneeplestein felt responsible for that. The pain they felt in their loss, he felt it was his fault.

It was a week before Chase could get to Schneep, a week of drinking and working himself past the limit of what was healthy. He crashed, left sprawled limply over the break room table. His nurses called for the only number they knew to call, Chase Brody.

Chase showed up incredibly fast, scarily, and was immediately taking charge of Schneep. The doctor had to be awake to walk out to the car to get home, but he fought Chase the whole way out. He tiredly argued he didn’t need to go home, he needed to keep working.

Chase bit back that the nurses had it covered, that all was fine, as he shoved Schneep into the car. Henrik was asleep only moments later, head resting against the window.

He woke up in his bed, tucked in as though it had all been the nightmare. He knew better than that, though. Sitting up with a wince at the ache in his head, he found the advil and water left for him with ease.

An odd gratefulness and warmth in his chest, he downed the medicine and drained the water. That done, he slumped forward. Just sitting in bed because now that he’d had the time to rest he didn’t want to get up. He just wanted to lay back down and sleep forever.

On cue, the door swung open.

Chase stepped in, breakfast on a tray in his arms. He looked exhausted, but maybe it was just the lighting.

“Doctor dude, brought you some breakfast.” He stated, and Henrik nodded wearily.

“I can see zhat.” He muttered, and Chase just grinned at him.

“Well if you can see it, settle back in the bed so you can eat.” Chase’s chuckle made Henrik want to punch him, this was no time to be joking and happy.

He refrained, instead settling back in bed as he’d been told to do. Chase set the tray in his lap before settling down in the chair by the bed that Henrik hadn’t noticed there before. Had Chase been keeping watch all of this time? Henrik couldn’t help but wonder why, he hadn’t been dying.

“Well dude, you’re officially on vacation.” Chase informed, ignoring the glare that earned him.

“I was thinking you and I could go see a movie when you’re feeling better.” Chase suggested, grinning brightly.

Schneep was still furious with that bright grin. Now wasn’t the time to be cheery, someone had died because of him. How could Chase smile at him like he’d saved the world?

“I don’t vant to see a movie, I vant to get back to vork.” Henrik snapped, and the flinch that got out of Chase was sickeningly satisfying.

Maybe a vacation was a good idea.

Chase wasn’t smiling anymore when Henrik met his eyes again, and everything seemed a little more… Forced.

“Well you can’t go back to work just yet, dude. If you don’t want to see a movie, then maybe we can-”  
“If it isn’t me going back to work, Brody, you can forget it and leave.”

Henrik didn’t need to be so cruel, he wasn’t even sure why he was being cruel in the first place. Chase’s face screwed up, and for a moment Henrik’s heart dropped. He was going to cry. He’d made-

“Don’t be like that, Henrik.” Chase sighed, and Henrik watched in surprise as Chase’s expression smoothed out again.

All gentle eyes and sad smiles, this one. He’d never understand him, how could someone care this much?

“We can just stay here, but you’re staying put alright? I’m not gonna let you do that to yourself again. Keep being mad if you want, but I’m going to take care of you even if you think you don’t need it.” Chase’s voice was resolute, and Schneep found himself nodding.

When had he started to cry?

Warm arms wrapped around him, and he leaned into them with a quiet sob. Neither of them said a word as he cried, Chase just held him and provided the comfort he hadn’t known he’d needed all along.

Later, when Henrik finally went back to working, he felt a little lighter. Knowing that one person would never let himself be pushed away, one person believed in the doctor wholeheartedly… It was spirit lifting.

Chase wouldn’t let him fall, and that was enough to know he could keep going.


	4. A Creator's Struggle

The egos all knew very well that the one thing Jack did was work himself to death. He never stopped, not really, and sometimes that scared them. He was a force to be reckoned with, a force that wouldn’t stop working towards its goals. If that meant recording way past natural sleeping hours, so be it. If that meant rarely sleeping in general? Worth it, in his mind.

That’s what scared the egos (or most of them anyways) about Jack. He didn’t quit if he felt he shouldn’t, almost like he wasn’t allowed to quit. Sixteen million people wait with excitement for his videos, he’d hate to let them down.

So, he’d spent the entire week with little to no sleep. Doing things for the fans, doing things for friends. Nonstop, endlessly working. Little time for sleep. He was working himself to death, and it was high time someone stepped in.

Chase was already on high alert when Signe called him, quietly asking if he’d come try and talk some sense into Jack. Into Sean.

Chase arrived, as usual, with eerie speed and punctuality. Smiling gently at Signe and offering her a small gift, he headed off to find Sean.

As expected, Sean was still busy at work. Chase shook his head, moving into the room after ensuring Sean knew he was coming in. The surprise on his creator’s face was hilarious. The dark circles under his eyes, now painfully visible, were not.

“Hey, creator dude!”  
“Chase! Hey man, what’re you doin’ here?”

“Just thought I’d come visit to see how you are.”

Chase often found that lying was much easier to do, and maybe that should have been reason for concern. Instead, he shook it off and grinned wider.

Sean seemed suspicious, but nodded his head.

“Well, if you could wait ‘til I’m done recording then we can talk.” He promised awkwardly and Chase nodded.

“Of course, dude! Just let me know when you’re done!” Chase chirped, giving Sean a thumbs up before leaving.

When Sean made his way over to the couch sometime later, sitting next to Chase with a tired huff neither of them spoke at first. Finally, Chase rose from the couch and headed into the kitchen.  
Sean was surprised when Chase returned with some soup and tea. Both steaming hot and smelling like heaven, he might add.

“You bribin me, Chase?” He teased, and Chase laughed.

“Nah dude, I just know you’ve been workin’ hard! I wanna make sure you’re well fed and rested.” And maybe the smile on his face was a little unnerving, but Sean didn’t notice.

“That’s sweet of you, Chase.” Sean hums, and soon he’s finished the soup and the tea.

Warm and comfy with a full belly, Sean decides a nap sounds like a good idea. Snuggling down, the youtuber was asleep in seconds.

Chase waited for Sean to properly fall asleep before he stood, stretching out carefully. He took the dishes to the kitchen, making sure they were all taken care of to save Sean and Signe the work. Once that was done, he moved back to the couch to get Sean.

Hefting him up bridal style, he got his beloved creator to bed. Tucking sean in, Chase smiled fondly. Sean had been remarkably kind to all of his egos, even Anti after everything the glitch had done.

Chase was glad of all people Sean had been the one to create his new family. With a quiet hum, Chase headed out of the bedroom.

He’d be back the next day to make sure, once again, that Sean didn’t overdo. He could always take over for Sean, they looked almost identical and Chase didn’t have any weird accent to bother with.

He took over the channel for the next week, and Sean couldn’t be more grateful.

All in a day’s work.


	5. A Glitch's Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter gets dark, so proceed at your own caution, loves.

Everyone fears something, everyone has dreams of things that haunt them in the dead of night when their mind thinks no one is around to comfort them. Everyone suffers from some kind of fear, no matter how much they will come to deny such things.

Anti was afraid of more than he’d like to admit, but his biggest fear was being forgotten. Anti was terrified of that, really. The idea of fading into nothingness because people didn’t care enough to remember you. Not your name, your face, or your actions. You came to mean nothing to anyone, and that was terrifying.

Anti had more nightmares than one would expect, spent too many nights awake in a panic. Checking that the fans still cared and remembered. Made sure his place in the world hadn’t been forgotten.

Another thing Anti feared was being hated. Not the silly “oh, I hate anti! He’s so mean!” from some of the fans. No, he hated the genuine hatred he’d seen in the other egos’ eyes when he’d tried to kill Jack and then Schneeplestein. Anti couldn’t help what he’d been made into by the fandom, by Jack himself.

Yet they all still blamed him.

Except for one. One ego had never judged Anti harshly, had never been unnecessarily cruel to him. That ego?

Chase fucking Brody.

Anti still didn’t understand the man, and he’d been living with him for over three months now. In the beginning Chase had been a little fearful, sure, but he’d still been unbearably kind. Now, two months later? His kindness was disgusting and constant. He cared too much.

Even if Anti found Chase’s kind tendencies to be “disgusting” he was still grateful for them. If it hadn’t been for Chase and his kindness, Anti would most likely be living out on the streets. Sean and Signe didn’t trust him, Dr. Schneeplestein and the others were terrified of him, and where else would he have gone?  
Chase was his only hope, and over time they’d grown close. Anti… Looked up to Chase, in a way. It was odd, and sometimes they didn’t get along. Yet, Anti knew that even after every argument shared Chase won’t just kick him out. Chase cools off, and Chase repairs the damage. Every time. Without fail.

Anti relies on Chase more than he likes to admit, and he has a feeling Chase relies on hm in some way too. It’s an odd but nice system.

So when Anti has a nightmare so bad, that leaves him thinking he’s going to start fading any day now, he goes to Chase in tears. He isn’t sure why he does it, he’s never done it before. Yet, there he stood in Chase’s doorway sniffling like a scared five year old.

“Chase?” He croaks, and the weakness to his voice is enough to make him want to turn and disappear back into his room.

Before he can do that, though, a gentle voice from the other side of the room replies. It’s drowsy, thick with the hints of sleep yet still so welcoming and fatherly it makes Anti want to cry more.

“Anti? What’s up glitchy dude?”

Then he does. He breaks down right there in Chase’s doorway. Doesn’t even make it into the room before he’s glitching spastically. Chase is there immediately, but Anti doesn’t have time to marvel at his speed as he’s moved into a gentle hug.

“Does everyone really hate me?” He asks when he can get the words out, and he feels Chase tense.

“Anti- no, no. Of course everyone doesn’t hate you.” Chase murmurs, looking at Anti with eyes that glow with wisdom and love.  
Love. Fatherly, kind and warm, for him? For Anti? Impossible-  
“They may be a little scared of you, Anti. They don’t know you like they could if they gave you a chance, but you have to give them a chance, too.” Chase’s voice is hushed, soothing.

Anti slumps against him, boneless, and Chase’s smile is almost too much for the glitching ego. He looks like he’s with one of his own kids, and with a shock Anti realizes maybe he is. He’s always treated Anti like a son, so…

“I’m scared.” He admits hoarsely, and despite the fact his voice crackles and snaps up to a shrieking pitch Chase understands.

He leads Anti to the bed, sitting down with him still held close. As they settle in, Anti feels warmer than he has in a long time. Warm and safe.

“You don’t have to be scared, Anti. Not while I’m here with you, okay? You may be evil, but you’re still my family.” Chase informs him, and he sounds so sure that Anti can’t help what he does next.

He smiles. A genuine, not malicious smile. All bright eyes and pointed teeth. He laughs, but it’s mixed with a happy sob as he buries his face against Chase. Chase lets out a startled chuckle as he holds the other ego closer, rubbing his back gently.

“We’re family?”  
“We’re family.”

“… Thank you.”  
“Go to sleep, glitchy dude. I’ll keep the bad dreams away.”  
“Promise?”  
“Pinky promise.”

Anti giggles at that, rubbing his face and sniffling softly. He locks pinky fingers with Chase briefly before snuggling down to sleep. Chase stays sitting up beside him, and as Anti settles down for sleep he idly cards a hand through the glitch’s unruly hair. The purr that receives makes him smile, and he continues the action if only to hear him keep purring.

There, in the quiet of Chase’s bedroom with only the sound of Chase’s breathing and his own purring, Anti feels safer than he ever has before.

The nightmares don’t bother him again all night, and when he wakes up it’s to a freshly made breakfast. He wants to ask how long Chase has been up, but before he can there’s that widely smiling face offering him another mug of hot cocoa and he forgets his worry completely.

Chase finds himself occasionally being referred to as dad by Anti from then on out, and every time he has to wipe his eyes.

Maybe he can be a good person- a good father after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter gets dark, so proceed at your own caution, loves.


	6. A Failure's Plight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suicide attempt tw  
> Blood is mentioned

Chase didn’t remember much beyond his wedding day. His first wedding day, that is. Past that day, he wonders if he really even does have a past. He’s not a real person, and neither are the people he calls his family. His kids, his ex wife, his ego children. None of them are real, are they? They’re all doomed the moment they’re forgotten by an ever-expanding mass of fans. One day those fans will lose interest, one day Jack will quit youtube. Then what?

The egos die.

The egos fade.

Sometimes he wonders what the point is, then, if that’s the case. Why try so hard like Schneeplestein does, when life is so fickle for an ego. They could be gone in the next week, no trace of them left. Yet they still live life like it matters. Like they’re real people.

They’re not.

He’s hollow as he regards the mirror. His face his pale, circles dark under his eyes. He hasn’t slept properly in god knows how long, and for what? The other egos, of course.  
The only things that gave his life any kind of meaning.  
Currently, the source of his agony.

They didn’t do it intentionally, he understood that well. The lack of worry on their part was because of hard work on his. The lack of gratefulness he knew stemmed from his striking in their weakest moments, when their minds were just a bit too boggled to really stop and appreciate what was being done.

Not to say they didn’t thank him because they did, but they never seemed to know the lengths he went to for their sake. Hours and hours of his life spent repairing a mask that could easily just be replaced, hours making the soup just right for the “german doctor,” hours staying awake to make sure the hero didn’t sneak off to fight crime again, hours keeping himself up to make sure the glitch and the creator had a peaceful sleep.

What was he, in all of this? The piece that was important, but only for the fact it kept the others running. He wasn’t important because he did anything. His ex-wife could tell you that much.

Stacy wasn’t unkind. He’d treated her wrongly, he deserved some of what he got. Some of it he felt may have been to much, but at this point he wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe he didn’t deserve to see the kids anymore, maybe he deserved to have her leave him with the kids in tow. Chase didn’t deserve much, did he?

A hollow laugh left his mouth as he glared at his mirror self. No, he didn’t deserve anything. His anger built suddenly, and he struck out. The glass shattered under his fist, cutting into his knuckles and spilling scarlet over the sink. He leaned back, cursing softly and looking numbly at his bleeding fist.

He left the bathroom in relative silence, bloodied hand dripping at his side. He slipped into his room to grab his gun, the real one this time, and headed outside. No need to make a mess for them to clean up, that would be mean.

Time becomes a blur as he settles outside, the birds chirping and the sun casting rays through the trees around the backyard. In front of him in the treehouse he built for the kids and Anti, by hand. All alone.  
The kids never visit anymore, and Anti goes there to avoid him. He wishes he had burned it.

As he presses the gun to his temple, he vaguely hears the sound of someone crying out. Maybe it’s his name, or maybe just a cry of horror and shock.

Either way, they’re a bit late.

-

He wakes up to steady beeping and a warm hand on his.

It’s bright as he slowly blinks his eyes open, squinting against the lights in the room. He finds he’s been shaded a bit poorly from the worst of it, eyes fluttering as he tries to find the face of the person holding his hand. They leave as someone else comes in, but Chase has fallen under again before he can process who.

Schneeple watches as Chase slips back into unconsciousness, glancing over to Marvin who’s a sniffling mess again. Sighing, the doctor adjusts the iv bag before motioning the magician over for a gentle hug.

“Go tell zhe ozhers he’ll be vaking up regularly soon, okay?” He asks gently, and Marvin nods.

“Y-Yeah. Okay.”

As the magician shuffles out, Schneeple allows himself a moment to crumble. A moment to tear up, shoulders shaking with the effort not to cry. They’d almost lost Chase twice now, and both times he could have stopped it.

He could have.

He should have.

So why didn’t he?

-

When Chase next comes around, the room is darker but the beeping is still a constant sound filling the room. He finds it a comfort rather than an annoyance, and breathes in time with it. Sort of. Looking around, he finds a mop of green hair resting on the bed beside him. The color of it assures him it’s not his glitching son, nor his creator. No, this is either the magician or the hero. Not the doctor for the lack of a coat or the normal clothes Schneep would wear.

The figure, who is soon revealed to be the hero, snorts and lifts his head. He meets Chase’s eyes, and Chase watches as his widen in surprised horror. Chase is about to speak when the hero stands, chair clattering noisily behind him. Chase grimaces at that, but watches in bewilderment as the hero dashes out.

He comes back in with Schneep, and Chase holds his breath.

“Ve need to talk.”

-

Chase feels like crying as Sean helps him into the house and to bed. Wants to cry as Sean sits and holds his hand for a little while, neither of them really knowing what to say so they let their actions speak for their words.

Sean calls him dad as he leaves.

Chase is just letting the loneliness set in when Marvin comes in, smiling despite the pain in his eyes.

“Marvin the Magnificent is here to provide you with endless entertainment!” He exclaims, but his voice isn’t loud enough to cause Chase any pain.

He’s planned this, and Chase appreciates that. Marvin stays for god knows how long performing as many tricks as he can for Chase, and by the time Chase murmurs he’s tired there are at least twelve doves in the room.

Marvin looks panicked before he sees Chase smiling softly at one of them as it coos to him, and realizes this mistake might have been the right one to make. (He leaves the door open, just in case).

-

Chase sleeps a lot that week, but in between Marvin and Jackie provide him with entertainment. Sean comes by one afternoon to give Chase a few options for mental health, and while Chase feels embarrassed he needs that help he’s still relieved Sean cares enough to have gathered so much info. He finds out later that week Sean made a very emotional video begging those watching to get help rather than take their lives. The emotion in the video worries the fans, Sean tries to explain it away as something he’s worried about. It is, and always has been, but now it’s even more of a concern.

Chase hasn’t seen Anti, but as though summoned the glitch appears. He looks upset, expression dark and stormy. He approaches Chase too quickly, like he’s going to lash out. Chase braces for it, draws in a breath he knows he’ll need if-

Arms wrap tightly around him, holding him close, and the glitch breaks down. Chase is caught off guard by it all, and quickly holds him close. Tries to comfort him, but nothing is working. Finally, Anti finds his voice.  
“You aren’t supposed to leave! Dad’s aren’t supposed to leave!”

Chase winces at that, holds Anti a little closer.  
“You’re right, they aren’t-”  
“But families support each other. You kept us all afloat, but we left you adrift.” Anti’s sniffling and still sobbing a bit, but he’s determined to get it all out.

“I’m not mad, Chase, but-”  
“I’m not leaving again, Anti, I promise.” Chase lets it out suddenly, and Anti blinks at him.

“We aren’t going to give you reason to leave.” Anti states, and while the whole dialog sounds odd Chase feels better.

“Wanna go get your favorite injured dad a milkshake?”  
“Only if I can have one too.”  
“Y’know what? Call everyone in and we’ll have a milkshake party. Just the family.”

He wasn’t okay, but maybe- just maybe- he could be.

Even if he wasn’t, he had his family with him.


End file.
